Bourne & Tributary

River of Time #3.1 & 3.2

by Lisa Tawn Bergren

If you like romance, adventure and a dose of medieval Italian culture, you'll love WATERFALL (book 1), CASCADE (book 2), TORRENT (book 3), as well as the follow-up novellas, BOURNE (book 3.1) and TRIBUTARY (book 3.2). In this volume, both novellas are included.

BOURNE, a novella, picks up right where TORRENT left off...Find out what has happened to men returning from the battle, gravely wounded, to the Betarrinis, fighting for the men they love, and just who is hunting them next...

TRIBUTARY, a novella, picks up a year after BOURNE... Lia struggles to overcome the fear that constant battle has heaped upon her; Gabi and Marcello face an unexpected crisis; and Lord Greco just may be ready to leave the grief and loss of his past behind him, so that he might grab hold of the future...

Genres: Historical Fiction, Time Travel, Romance, Young Adult, Fantasy, Christian Fiction, Historical

328 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 9, 2012

About the author

About

Lisa Tawn Bergren is the best-selling, award-winning author of over 60 books, with more than 4.5 million copies sold. She recently released The Sugar Baron's Daughters Series (KETURAH, VERITY and SELAH), and recently finished a teen series called Remnants (SEASON OF WONDER, SEASON OF FIRE, and SEASON OF GLORY). She's also written the River of Time Series (WATERFALL, CASCADE, TORRENT, BOURNE & TRIBUTARY, DELUGE) and The Grand Tour Series (GLAMOROUS ILLUSIONS, GRAVE CONSEQUENCES, GLITTERING PROMISES), time-slip romance duology called River of Time: California (THREE WISHES and FOUR WINDS), and some contemporary romances (ONCE UPON A MONTANA SUMMER and ONCE UPON AN IRISH SUMMER are the newest releases).

Lisa’s time is split between managing home base, writing, consulting and helping Tim with his business. Her husband Tim is a sculptor of ducks-out-of-fenceposts (RMRustic.com), graphic designer and musician. They have three big kids–Olivia (who just got married), Emma (who is about to get married) and Jack (who is a junior in high school).

The Bergrens make their home in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this so much! Though it took me awhile to read through Tributary due to the business of life, I really, really enjoyed these two novellas. I loved getting to know Luca and Lia more since these two novellas were nearly all told in Lia's POVs. As I've mentioned before in books though I love Marcello, Luca will forever hold a special place in my heart.

I also loved seeing Rodolfo and his story play out in Tributary. I was a little hesitant about him in Torrent but I now love his character and he and Ali are so compatible for each other, its too cute! Ali was an interesting character that took me awhile to like but once a few things happened I really learned to like her. She just adds some more spice to these books.

Just like the last books, there was a lot of action and it was hard to put down especially towards the end of Tributary...man that was a ride. I cannot wait for Deluge...though I am kinda scared with the Black Plague that is nearly upon them.....I'm only hoping that everyone stays alive!

[Chantel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is seriously one of the best novellas I have read... Ever!! I don't want to give a too detailed review because I don't want to ruin it if you haven't read the other books yet. By the way this is definitely not a book you want to read as a stand-alone, it is so much better if you read books 1 through 3. Lol! Don't deprive youself of this joy!

I love how Lisa Begren adds more exciting in-depth storylines to the characters that we already love. But we also meet some new people along the way. The action and the drama is definitely not lacking from the two stories! I tell you I was on edge reading this. I cried, I laughed, I was seething at times. Lol! I had all the emotions y'all!

Bourne and Tributary gets an A+ in every way! Along with the rest of the series!

Lol! River In Time fans should start a go fund me for this movie to become a film! ;-)

♥ My Fav Qoutes! ♥

"...But you are in need of a reminder of the God you serve. He is almighty. Beyond compare. Who can compare against Him?"

" Don't rehearse your problems, Dad always said. Meaning we were only supposed to go through our problems when they were actually upon us."

"Nay, war is not what God had in mind when He breathed Eden into existence but we've wandered far from Eden, m'lady. Far from it. And we make our way through our days, the best we can. Fighting for good, not evil."

[Rebecca Embry · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off I have to say that I really don’t like novellas and I try not to read them. The story just seems to move too quickly, BUT not in this case. With the way this series was going, and the fact that I was sucked into the first 3 books, I knew I just had to read Bourne & Tributary. I couldn’t miss another adventure with Gabi, Lia & their fellas. I love that all the books, including these novellas continue to flow right where the last one left off. I also love that the POV starts to switch between Gabi & Lia. It really gives you an insight into Lia and Luca’s love story. So, basically, this is yet another book by Lisa Bergren that I’m amazed at. Bottom line is - you have to read this novella, you can’t skip over it!

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved getting different characters point of view this time, especially Lia’s! I can’t wait for Deluge... also very nervous...

[Ems Loves to Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

You may or may not remember that the River of Time series by Lisa T. Bergren is one of my absolute favorite series. Well, because Ms. Bergren is seriously awesome, she wrote two novellas to go along with the series. Bourne/Tributary was just released in paperback, and I just HAD to have a copy. I already had both books on my Kindle app, but hello, the pretty needed to be on my shelf.

Bourne starts right after Torrent finishes, and continues the story. It's told from alternating POVs, with the narrator listed at the beginning of each new chapter. Normally, I dislike alternating POV, but it works here. Plus, I loved getting more into Lia's head and hearing her thoughts. Seeing Luca from her POV wasn't a bad option. :D

Then Tributary picks up a year after Bourne. The focus is still more on Lia, with other POVs interspersed. I especially loved getting more into Lord Greco's (swoon!) story. I might have mentioned that I have a seriously huge crush on him. He may or may not star in my daydream fantasies, with a heavy emphasis on OH YES HE DOES. I gotta tell you...I LOVE this man. Seriously love him. Getting more on him was heaven for me.

(Also, THIS is how I picture Lord Rodolfo Greco...sweet mother of everything good...)

I love the story, I love the time-travel element, I love the setting (medieval Italy!), I love Lisa's writing style...is there anything about these books that I don't love? Oh yes...the fact that they don't go on FOREVER. Seriously, I don't think it would be possible to get sick of this story or the characters.

So, do I need to go further to let you know why I think you should read these books?

Yeah, I didn't think so. :D

[Rachel :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't like it as much as the first 3....but I still loved it!

[Hadessephy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though I did not like the first short story the second one was so good and with respect to the series as a whole I still gave it 4 stars

[Haley S · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know, I know, why am I writing a review now? Well, I just saw that I had the separate books marked but I actually read them together in this form so I decided to change it!
Anyway, I would have to say Bourne was my least favorite out of all the River of Time books. Because Lisa changed the POV between Gabi and Lia I got confused but finally got used to it. It made sense as I read on. I really really liked Luca and Lia's story in it though!!! I sighed at least a million times!!! And read many parts at least a million times. Actually, I would have to say that for all of the ROT books!!
Tributary was really good. In that book is when I fell for Luca all the more. (Yes, I am being dramatic but I tell you, I get into my books. I read them like it is real, even though I know it is not. Seriously! I fall in love with many guys in books!! lol) The ending was horrible for me because I didn't have Deluge to read right after it. I had to wait SOOOOO long.
But overall, both of these books are VERY VERY good!!! As you can tell, this is one of my favorite series of ALL time!!!

[Lilian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed how this book went more into Luca and Lia's story. I was getting a little tired of Gabi and Marcello always being injured back and forth. So I felt this was a fresh look at it!

read #3:

I despised this one last time I read it, but I enjoyed it a little more. I sympathized more with Greco, which changed my outlook on the stories. I do love rereading these books and finding new details every time.

[MissJLovesReading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend this series. It has twists and turns, time travel, family and sister bonds, medieval castellos, slow-burn (for the most part) romance, sweet knights who let their partners choose their own paths even in a time of a woman being told what to do and how to act. Add in some magical tombs, snarky main characters, big wars and impending massice historical events chasing right toward them, this is overall a very, very fun book series. The novellas are a must-read as well (if you can find them for a price less than selling your own kidney would achieve! 😂)

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet mercy, Tributary was a ROLLERCOASTER! So many sweet and beautiful moments, followed by nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat moments! My poor feels could barely handle it!

But seriously, WONDERFUL addition to The River of Time story! Like, wow! My sister can attest to all of the yelling and squealing that occurred while reading these two novellas. A+ across all the boards!

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! This whole series is just so full of character development, adventure, sorrow, hope, and romance. It's a pretty perfect blend. I don't usually have high hopes for novellas, but both stories were so good and helped to wrap up some points in the plot that could easily have been rushed through. I can't wait to read the final book in this series, but I'm not too eager for it all to end 🥲

[Shirleon Sharron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, so these. Four years ago I may have said "Oh my goodness!! YAASSSS!!!" But now, it's more like, "meh." Don't get me wrong, I do really like this series, but now I love it purely for the story, but the writing is, well, meh.

I really think the "modern" thinking should have either been 100% done away with or should have evolved into more mature thinking. "Dude," "peeps," "preggers" - all got to be way too annoying and made me think that the girls were more shallow then they really were. If anything, find some synonyms for these words to hold back on the repetition.

This is the first time in the series where the author decides to change perspective of the characters. It's not my favorite, in any book, mostly because I get so attached to the first character given - regardless of how good or bad the book is written. This time around it wasn't terrible, but the characters sounded way too similar. Yes, Gabi and Lia are sisters, they will have some similarities but they shouldn't sound exactly the same. Unfortunately, that is the case.

My biggest issue with the entire series was the language used during the thoughts. They were filled with modern jargon and yet the jargon, I feel, was not 100% accurate to how young kids speak. Yes, some of them do use "dude" and "peeps" a lot, but in a book, there really is no need in a book to be over the top with the speech. I really hold to the belief that their thoughts would have molded more to their speech patterns.

____________________________________________________________
Language: None

Explicitness: None

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy cow! Bourne and Tributary were both SO amazing!!
Packed with romance, adventure, intrigue, and humor.

Lisa Tawn Bergren is a wonderful author. I don't know how she continually supply's all these amazing reads!
So much happens in these two books. Marcello, Gabi, Lia, Luca, Lord Greco, and many new people are found in these pages.

I believe Lisa T. Bergren is writing a final installment to this series. I cant wait to read it!
Although I am very sad to see the series end, I am looking forward to what is in store for all the people I have come to love back in ancient Italy.

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this series. I would recommend these books to all my reading friends from teens on up. Lisa is a captivating author with a great writing style. She brings her characters to life and has a great insight to the historical information to make these work great. The romance is exciting yet clean and delightful. The adventure keeps you on the edge, never knowing just how things will turn out. Great reading!!!

[Bek Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

These honestly may be my favourite stories out of all the books in this series. The shorter plots are so well-rounded and the tension building - PHENOMENAL! But above all I love the depth the multiple perspectives brings to the side characters. Everyone has come so far from Book 1! Definitely two must read novellas for this series.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/24-26/16

The recording is very amateur but the reader has great pronunciation. I'm glad for a recording, even if it's poor, in order to listen to the entire series.



3/2-4/15

2 separate novellas that together are the length of the other books. I understand why they are seperate but they also work together as one story.

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm rating this book for my students.* They love this series! These books are some of the most popular of my classroom library. Older students often point them out to the younger & encourage them to read them. Lisa Bergren is one of our favorite authors!

*I teach English in a Christian junior high/high school.

[Charity U · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED IT SO MUCH! Definitely highly recommend it. Worth buying, yes, definitely! Especially enjoyed the second book. Check out my full review: http://austenitis.blogspot.com/2012/1...

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was due at the library and I wanted to finish it. It was a great end to the series. Definitely short and I would have preferred longer, but that's what novellas are. But, things were tied up so fast I hardly had time to take it in. But, it was fun.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Bourne like a year ago but I didn't have tributary. I bought it for Christmas and started it Tuesday night and I finished It last night. :D I love this series and I wish she would wright another book.

[the_bookish_took · Rating 5 out of 5]

This felt different than one of the books. But that's ok because it's two novellas.

Bourne for the most part was really nice to read because I felt like I could breathe. While reading Waterfall I breathed. Reading Cascade and Torrent, I didn't. It was all so intense and just totally nonstop. I was very grateful for this novella. I loved seeing the relationships and everything was just so good. Except for the twins. That part nearly did me in. One last word, I loved how Lia took out the bad guys.

Tributary sent my heart rate up a little, but I didn't feel a lack of hope like I did in Torrent. Yes, there were really bad times and the whole deal with Alessandra, but in Torrent it was so overwhelming because Gabi was literally alone and the whole thing just seemed so utterly hopeless. But in this one Luca and Marcello were there and again, way to go Lia! I love her skill and the way she took out their captors! Just awesome!

[Evilgenius · Rating 3 out of 5]

Both novellas were sweet although there was terribly little about Marcello and Gabriella, although Lia made multiple stupid decisions, although Lord Greco continued to be very annoying before he came around (I will never understand why so many readers love him), although Alessandra was extremely irrational and irritating (I guess she and Greco deserve each other) and although those freaking Fiorentini are driving me insane.

I was already tired of that damn conflict between Firenze and Siena in book 3 but the Fiorentini are still despicable and blood-thirsty and hell-bent on another war with the Forellis and Siena. Hell-bent on capturing or killing Gabriella and Lia. That's the same villain, the same conflict, the same motive in every book of the series. I've grown tired of it and of those vile Fiorentini who can't live with peace (I'm looking at you, Lord Barbato, why is he not dead yet?). I sure hope book 4 will be different.

[MaryAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, how I love this series! Definitely in the top 10, and I'm thinking maybe top 5. This set of 2 novellas, however, were a tiny bit less. It seemed the reading style was a little younger than the previous books, maybe because they centered around the younger sister Evangelia and a new character her age, Alessandra. Bourne was still fairly intense, as this series has been to this point, continually leaving my stomach clenched from disastrous situation to disastrous situation. Tributary was less so, and at times seemed to lag. I loved the pictures at the end of the book. I hope the world changes in a way that will allow me to go there someday myself.

[Sarb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the BOMB!!! I really got sick of Gabi's and Marcello's relationship, I wanted to see Luca's and Lia's relationship and the author granted my wish. This book was about power, we all have power in ourselves and are capable of anything. If we like it or not. Some of our decisions can be a bad result to our future. Anyways I loved this book and their was another one combined and I got confused on who was speaking but I soon figured it out. But, gosh, this was the bomb. Every book I read from Lisa Tawn Bergren it's always 5 stars and I'll keep it that way. So good!!!

[Keri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book for this series! I love that we now get the point of view from Lia. Although I still would have liked more from Gabi. I love her and Marcello too much for there to be so little of them. This one did have a little more religious talk than the others I felt but since I am already so far in to this story and characters it didn't really bother me. Still quite a bit of adventure and heartwarming moments! There is only one more book left in the series and I am sad I will be ending.

[Kadie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5! But it had a stronger ending then the last one. Still super cheesy though. Anyways I read a chapter from a different book during this and it was so lovely to read a normal romance if even for a chapter😭 altho Tributary was definitely MUCH better than Bourne so that kinda helped my rating on this one. Idk I have such mixed feelings I like LOVE these books but they also have some reaaalllyyy bad qualities but then they have such good qualities and the good keeps me coming back but the bad can just be..... so bad😅

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has a different feel than the previous books since they're novellas and written from different POVs. I still loved it just as much! I like that both Bourne and Tributary focus on different key characters, yet they both fit nicely into the overarching storyline. These are not novellas to skip and definitely need to be read before book #4. I loved reading from Lia's POV and seeing her and Luca's relationship develop. And of course one of my favorite things was Rodolfo finally getting a chance to be happy!

[Alyssa Lago · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m loving the storyline of these books! They can definitely be cheesy at times but the drama and suspense is so fun. I appreciate that the love scenes “fade to black” although I could do without the making out described. I definitely would not recommend this to teenagers for that reason, but it’s a shame because I think that’s who these books were intended for. Otherwise such a fun story. I love the characters!

** I thought in this particular one that it was hard to follow all the different view points that were written.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Notable Content: Some sexual attraction between spouses. Kissing. Literal sleeping together between spouses. Mention of periods. "Lust." Lustful implications. Beginnings of sexual harassment. Implied contraception. "Raped." Beatings for information. "Harlots."

I'm so glad the series isn't over! I loved these! You should definitely read these before Deluge. Together, they're basically the fourth book.